A damaged private house is seen in the background of fragments of a Russian military plane that was shot down, on the outskirts of Kostyantynivka, a near-front line city in the Donetsk region, Ukraine, Oct. 5. AP-Yonhap

Reports of North Korean soldiers killed in a recent Ukrainian missile attack, if true, would show Russia's "profound" desperation to secure outside support for its war in Ukraine, a State Department spokesperson said Thursday.

The spokesperson made the remarks, commenting on recent Ukrainian media reports that six North Korean military officers were killed in a Ukrainian missile strike on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk on Oct. 3.

The reports reinforced speculation that Pyongyang could even deploy troops in support of Moscow in the protracted war given that the two countries have signed a "comprehensive strategic partnership" treaty, which includes a mutual defense clause.

"We have no specific information to share with you at this time," the spokesperson said in response to a question from Yonhap News Agency. "However, if these reports are confirmed to be true, they would continue to demonstrate Russia's profound desperation."

Denouncing Russia's tightening military alignment with North Korea, the U.S. has claimed that an isolated Moscow has been turning to a small group of its partners, including the North and Iran, in a show of its "desperation" for military support.

The spokesperson reiterated its criticism of cooperation between the North and Russia.

"Deepening cooperation between Russia and the DPRK is a trend that should be of great concern to anyone interested in maintaining peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula, upholding the global non-proliferation regime, and supporting the people of Ukraine as they defend their freedom and independence against Russia's brutal war of aggression," the official said.

DPRK stands for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

During a parliamentary audit session on Tuesday (Korea time), South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun said that Seoul sees the possibility of the North deploying troops to support Russia as "very high," considering the two countries' comprehensive strategic partnership treaty.

In June, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the treaty that calls for one party to provide military aid to the other "without delay" in the event of an armed invasion — a pledge that many said amounted to a revival of the two countries' Cold War-era military alliance. (Yonhap)